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9 Petrifying Demonic Horror Movies about Possession To Chill Your Blood Cold

Updated: Mar 31, 2023


Best Demon Horror Movies  | The Evil Dead
Best Demon Horror Movies | The Evil Dead

For your twisted pleasure, here is a soul-tormenting list of the best demon horror movies about demonic possession.


In the wicked world of horror, nothing chills our blood cold quite like the sinisterly nightmarish presence of a demon. Often, these malevolent supernatural entities harrowingly haunt their victims through demonic possession. But equally, they can inflict severe psychological wounds on their prey, appearing as physical or mental manifestations of sheer terror.


Unlike most genre's, demon horror movies can illicit the sort of spine-chilling scares that permanently scar our psyches forever.


With that in mind, these are the best demon horror movies about demonic possession.


The Best Demon Horror Movies | The Exorcist


 The Best Demon Horror Movies | The Exorcist
The Best Demon Horror Movies | The Exorcist

As far as demon horror movies go, the Exorcist presents one of the most iconic and chillingly visceral possession sequences ever. Partly due to devilishly satanic special effects, which help summon the demon to life in spookily sinister ways.


In short, Regan's torturously horrific transition from sweet innocent girl to vomit-spewing, genital-stabbing, potty-mouthed cacodemon is truly harrowing. As is Linda Blair's chillingly convincing performance as the girl whose soul becomes wickedly corrupted by a sinister presence.


Keep scrolling for more of the best demon horror movies about demonic possession.


The Last Exorcism


Best Demon Horror Movies | The Last Exorcism
Best Demon Horror Movies | The Last Exorcism

The Last Exorcism isn't the perfect paranormal flick, but its demonic possession sequence contains some effectively chilling frights. Expect violently dislocating bones, darkly distorted body horror imagery, contorted facial expressions, sudden finger snapping, sinisterly spoken biblical jibberish, and enough demonic hostility to leave you shaking on the spot in a cold and shivery mess.


Read on for more of the best demon horror movies about demonic possession.


The Best Demon Horror Movies | The Exorcism of Emily Rose


 The Best Demon Horror Movies | he Last Exorcism
The Best Demon Horror Movies | The Last Exorcism


Predominantly a courtroom drama for most of proceedings, The Exorcism of Emily Rose is fairly light on frights overall. However, thanks to a committedly haunting performance from Jennifer Carpenter and some visually dislocating scenes of distressing body horror, it's worth watching for one of two impactful chills.


The Best Demon Horror Movies | The Taking of Deborah Logan


Best Demon Horror Movies | The Taking of Deborah Logan
Best Demon Horror Movies | The Taking of Deborah Logan

The Taking of Deborah Logan uses its original possession premise of an elderly dementia sufferer to hammer home some truly sinister scares. Expect a series of sharply executed frights, some unsettling moments of demonic manipulation, and a chillingly committed performance from Jill Larson.


Keep reading for more of the best demon horror movies about demonic possession.


Sinister (2012)


Best Demon Horror Movies | Sinister
Best Demon Horror Movies | Sinister

Sinister delivers a terrifying story about a darkly ominous entity that creepily possesses the minds and bodies of children to commit horrifically murderous acts on their own family members.


These deeply unsettling killings are revealed gruesomely in the form of hidden snuff tapes and leftover found footage discovered by true-crime writer Ethan Hawk upon having recently moved house.


Offering up some of the most effective jump scares to be seen in modern horror, Sinister torturously ratchets up the tension in preparation for a truly petrifying closing chapter well worth the admission fee.


The Best Demon Horror Movies | The Conjuring


Best Demon Horror Movies | The Conjuring
Best Demon Horror Movies | The Conjuring

Sometimes, creepy instances of paranormal activity can unveil bone-chilling revelations of demonic possession.


The Conjuring (2013) tells the spooky story of two professional ghost hunters who encounter a malevolent spirit when called upon to investigate a series of strange occurrences at the Perron family farmhouse estate.


Eventually, after a series of paranormal investigations, homeowner Carolyn soon becomes possessed by a demonic spirit called Bathsheba - later revealed to be a witch and the previous property owner. Who, at one time, offered her baby to the devil as a sacrificial slaughter.


The possession scene itself and the subsequent exorcism do facilitate some soul-stirring scares. And so, overall, The Conjuring is well worth eyeballs for fans of demon horror movies about demonic possession.


You can find more of the best demon horror movies about demonic possession below.


The Best Demon Horror Movies | Insidious (2010)


Best Demon Horror Movies | Insidious
Best Demon Horror Movies | Insidious

James Wan's mortally soul-shaking Insidious follows a distressed family whose youngest has fallen victim to a sinister entity. To repel the hostile spirit and save his son from paranormal possession, the father must journey deep inside his son's consciousness while facing his own demons along the way.


With its unexpected frights and eerily freakish imagery, Insidious issues a must-watch experience for fans of demon horror movies about demonic possession.


The Evil Dead (1981)


Best Demon Horror Movies | The Evil Dead
Best Demon Horror Movies | The Evil Dead

Though the Evil Dead series is infamous for Sam Raimi's trademark horror-comedy style, the first film in the franchise leans far more towards traditional horror than its successors, despite its sometimes campy undertones.


Having unleashed demons upon the world after discovering an accursed flesh-bound book of unspeakable evil, Bruce Campbell's iconic Ash must fight for feral survival against violent supernatural forces hellbent on tormenting him and his friends through darkly demonic possession.


With gruesomely nightmarish degrees of eye-popping gore, The Evil Dead offers a one-of-a-kind possession movie that will compel you to sit down and savor every blood-soaked morsel.


Keep scrolling for more of the best horror movies about demonic possession.


The Best Demon Horror Movies | Paranormal Activity


Best Demon Horror Movies | Paranormal Activity
Best Demon Horror Movies | Paranormal Activity

In terms of demon horror movies about demonic possession, they don't come much creepier than found footage phenomenon Paranormal Activity.


Making the most of its low-budget special effects, Paranormal Activity issues a compelling possession story packed with effectively executed frights. Spookier still is the premise that Katie's demon has been stalking her since childhood.


As events start to unfold, the demon begins assuming control of her in darkly disturbing ways, culminating in a chillingly sinister ending sure to impart shivers.



That concludes our dissection of the best demon horror movies about demonic possession. Be sure to unveil your top picks in the comments.


In the meantime, check out our article on the best hell horror movies exploring the concept of hell.


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